Sunday 19th July 1998
PRESS RELEASE

Monsanto targets Genetic 
Campaigners

Monsanto, the £20 billion US biotechnology company has served 
injunctions on five women[1] who were arrested after openly and 
accountably pulling up genetically engineered crops on a Monsanto 
‘test field site’ at Model Farm, Oxfordshire on July 4th 1998 [2]. 
The case will be heard in the High Court, London on July 30th 1998. 
The campaigners are seeking legal advice from Keir Starmer, the 
barrister who provided legal advice for the defendants in the so 
called ‘Mclibel trial’.

The injunctions granted by judge Mr Justice Jowitt on 16 July 1998 
prohibit the women from ‘uprooting, destroying or otherwise damaging 
or interfering with any of the Monsanto plants or crops at their seventy 
test field sites through out Britain. Monsanto are also pursuing 
unlimited damages against the five women. Video, newspaper footage, 
campaign materials and investigations by private detectives form part 
of the evidence presented to the judge.

Monsanto is not currently pursuing charges for criminal damage against 
the women. Campaigners believe that Monsanto’s decision to pursue a 
civil case may be to prevent the use of a possible defence under 
criminal law. The Criminal Law Act 1967 allows reasonable force to be 
used to prevent a crime. The five women maintain that gene transfer 
from GE ‘test field sites’ by pollination or other mechanisms represents 
criminal damage.

Monsanto’s action in targeting those launching genetiX snowball on 4th 
July can be seen as attempting to prevent further actions by the women 
and hence stopping the campaign. However genetiX snowball seeks to 
inspire new and growing numbers of people to remove GE plants as an 
effective means of political expression. To date there have been more 
than 250 inquires to the genetiX snowball office. Snowball participants 
pull up a maximum of 100 plants. They are asked to find two other 
people to take part in the following waves of genetiX snowball to 
ensure the campaign is genuinely democratic and participatory. To date 
there has been no consultation with the British people as to their desire 
for GE food or crops [3].Monsanto are currently are engaged in a £1 
million advertising campaign with the theme ‘Biotechnology is a matter 
of opinion … ’. in the broad sheet weekend colour supplements.

Melanie Jarman, one of the five women said,
‘This is a David and Goliath situation. Monsanto’s bullying 
tactics are being used to distract attention from their flawed 
science’

ENDS

Contact (press liaison):  Andrew Wood 0973 953446 or 
page 07654 247502

Editors Notes

[1] See release dated July 4th, ‘First arrests in Britain for pulling up 
Genetically Engineered crops’ from genetiX snowball.

[2]The five women arrested were Rowan Tilly (40, furniture-maker), 
Kathryn Tulip (39, solicitor and former toxicologist), Zoe Elford (27, 
genetics campaigner), Melanie Jarman (27, freelance journalist) and Jo 
Hamilton (25, music teacher). They are available for interview - please 
call Andrew Wood, press liaison on 0973 953 446 or page 07654 247 
502 

[3] A recent MORI opinion poll showed 77% of respondents don’t 
want GE crops in this country. The Independent newspaper reported on 
7th July, (Home News: ‘Wheatfileds turn into War Zones’) that the 
same MORI poll says only 20% of respondents want GE foods.

Picture Editor notes

[1]Pictures of the first genetiX snowball of July 4th available. 
Photographs available from Nick Cobbing, respected freelance 
photographer whose work has been published in the Guardian, 
Observer and Time Out. Call ISF or Image Net on: 0541 522333 or 
Nick Cobbing: 0973 642 103. [2]Video footage of entire action, 
including the women actually digging, on DVC format available from 
Zoe Broughton, award winning film maker whose work has been 
broadcast nationally. Call 0961 181 576
genetiX snowball
A campaign of nonviolent  civil responsibility
One World Centre, 6 Mount Street, Manchester M2 5NS    Tel: 0161 834 0295    Fax: 0161 834 8187